Letters to Wash
by WWSmith
Summary: After the events of "Serenity", the crew takes some time to write their departed comrade.  Rated K plus for characters being themselves and using naughty words.  Simon/Kaylee.
1. Zoe

I miss you.

There's not a second of the day I don't think about you. I see you reflected in a million different things – scratches on the wall, soup in a pot, the sheets on our bed, your plastic dinosaurs on the console. They're still there you know, your dinosaurs. When Kalyee and River were rebuilding the ship, they refused to get rid of them. You should have seen River with them. She picked them like they were relics. The last one was the stegosaurus. I don't know how she knew that one was your favorite. You always acted like the meat eaters were the best ones because you thought it was somehow more manly, but I know that stegosaurus was the one you liked best. She gave it to me and said you were still there, that you were still with us in the ship. That you never really left. For a moment, I believed her.

This place is so empty with out you. Our bunk is the biggest place on the ship now. I've spent so many nights wishing you were there with me. I don't cry as much anymore, at least not in front of the crew. I'm still the first mate, and life has to go on. I do my duty on ship and try to keep the captain from being shot when we pull some fool job. I still haven't gotten used to not hearing your voice over the com complaining to the captain about how dangerous things are. I don't think I ever will.

River's taken over most of the piloting. She's good to the point of insanity, but she's not you. Simon and Kaylee have become quite the item. They're so happy, Wash, like we were when we first started. They have their fights, but I think they're in it for the long haul. The captain's not putting up a fuss at least. Jayne's still the gun toting idiot he's always been and Inara's fine as well. Serenity keeps on flying into the night – causing trouble and losing pieces.

One more thing before I go. Do you remember when we were talking about kids? Turns out that all our bunk dancing had some results. I'm about four months along now. Simon says everything's looking good and everyone's excited about having a baby on board. Mal, Inara and Jayne think it's a boy, but Kaylee and River swear it's a girl. I know you always hated your name, but if it is a boy, I'm naming him after you.

I miss you, Wash. I hope were ever you are now, you're soaring like a leaf on the wind. Someday, when I get there, I'll stand beside you again.

All my love, Zoe


	2. Mal

Hey, Wash.

This isn't really my thing, writing letters to people and all that. Feel's mighty foolish writin a letter to a dead man, but I guess it can't hurt.

We won that day, I want you to know that. We never would have made it without you, hell, we wouldn't have made it out of the world hundreds of times if it weren't for you herding Serenity through the sky. You were a damn good pilot, even if you were a jealous idiot and crazy to boot. It sure's quieter without you squawking away on the radio. Don't have to worry about gettin chewed out every time we do something risky or take more than ten minutes doing somethin. Yeah, it's nice and quiet on the bridge without you, unless you count River's crazy jabbering. All we've got left of you on the bridge now are those stupid dinosaurs. Why'd you have to go and die on us?

Zoe's doing okay. She has her moments, but you know her – strong as anything in the verse and ten times as stubborn. I guess she's already told you about the baby. It's going to be born any day now. Zoe wanted to leave the ship, but we told her there ain't no way we were leavin her alone with a kid. We're going to take care of them, so don't you worry.

Everyone else is alright. Inara's still busy being the holiest companion of the verse. Simon's more or less moved in to the engine room with Kaylee – suppose it's just Serenity's way to bring people together. Jayne's been coming with me on missions, but sometimes it's worse than goin alone. Gorram trigger happy fool doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut. If it hadn't been for River's crazy drivin I'd be up there with you now.

Well, that's all the important stuff. Take care of yourself and say hey to the Sheppard if you see him.

- Mal


	3. Jayne

DEAR WASH,

I AM WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE WE ARE STUCK IN SPACE WITH NOTHING GOOD TO DO. I CLEANED ALL MY TAK AND FIXED UP VERA REAL GOOD AND SHARPED MY KNIFES AND RED MY BOOK SO THERE IS NOTHING TO DO UNTIL WE REACH ATMO AGAIN.

STUFF ON THE SHIP IS THE SAME AS WHEN YOU DIED EXPECT THAT RIVER IS PILOT AND SIMON AND KAYLEE ARE DOING IT IN THE ENGINE ROOM WHEN THEY THINK WE DONT HERE AND ZOEE HAD A BABY SO THINGS ARE PRETTY DIFFERENT THEN. THE BABY IS A GIRL AND SHE IS PRETTY. EVERYONE SAYS SHE LOOKS LIKE YOU AND ZOEE BUT THAT DONT MAKE NO SENSE BECAUSE YOU NEVER LOOKED LIKE YOU COULD GET A GIRL PREGNANT. GUESS I WAS WRONG.

SOME ALARM IS GOING OFF SO I AM GONNA SEE WHATS BROKE NOW.

SINCERY,

JAYNE


	4. Simon

Dear Wash,

I'm not exactly sure how to ask you this, or how you'll answer. I never put much belief in things I couldn't see, but right now I'm so full of things I can't see or quantify or understand that I didn't know what else to do. I know we weren't close when you were alive; I never talked to you much. You were on the bridge and I was in the infirmary. The only time we really talked was the time Zoe was injured and we were on the shuttle. I still hope you'll be willing to find a way to help me.

You know how I feel about Kaylee. You made fun of me for it a couple of times. I think everyone knew – I'm not the most subtle person in the world as River is fond of pointing out. I want to tell her how I feel, and I have, but I just keep feeling like there's an instruction manual I'm missing or some class I slept through. She wants me to ask her. She looks at me like she's expecting something, but I just don't know how to do it. I know you're not me and Kaylee isn't Zoe, but they're both women we met on the ship and fell in love with. You figured out a way to ask her. How? How did you know? How were you sure?

I'm rambling now. I'm sorry. I just get so confused with all this. River makes fun of me for not knowing anything. She's right – I'm a retarded child compared to her. I guess in this case, I'm that stupid compared to everyone.

Well, if that's what I am, then that's what I am. Kaylee loves me anyway. I'm going to go ask her. Right now. The worst that can happen is that she turns me down and laughs in my face and if she does that I know lots of quick ways to commit suicide. Wish me luck.

- Simon Tamm


	5. Kaylee

Hey Wash –

I'm getting married! Simon finally asked me and I'm real excited because I've been waitin for months for him to do it. Can you believe it? I can barely sit still long enough to think two words in a row I'm so happy!

Inara and Zoe are helping me get ready for everything. We're headin back home so I can grab my folks. We've gotta be careful with Simon bein wanted and all, but we're gonna stay far enough from the Purplebellies so's nothin gets tripped up. Captain let us stop at this fabric world special so we could get clothes for the wedding. Had to beat off Simon from hanging around cause it's bad luck for him to see. It's so pretty – lotsa of ruffles and lacey things. I can't wait to wear it!

Serenity misses you. River flies her real good but sometimes I hear the coils shudder and the hull tweak just a bit and I know she's cryin for you. Zoe does too, but she don't let nobody see. She's too busy bein a mom for Alia. You should see her, Wash! She looks just like you and Zoe all mixed up together. She likes to sit on River's lap on the bridge and watch the stars go by. Had to rework things to rig in a dead switch – Alia think's she's a pilot already! Usually we just give her one of the dinosaurs to play with, but when she figures we ain't lookin she'll got for the controls. She's a right clever baby.

I gotta go now so's we'll be ready for atmo. Tell the Shepherd I said hey.

- Kaylee Tamm

PS: We're not married yet, but I just wanted to write it. "Kaylee Tamm". Ain't that something?


End file.
